(a)

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-14-121

  • Issuer: means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues a credit or debit card. See Tennessee Code 39-14-102
  • Knowing: means that a person acts knowingly with respect to the conduct or to circumstances surrounding the conduct when the person is aware of the nature of the conduct or that the circumstances exist. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Receiving: includes , but is not limited to, acquiring possession, control, title or taking a security interest in the property. See Tennessee Code 39-14-102
  • Services: includes labor, skill, professional service, transportation, telephone, mail, gas, electricity, steam, water, cable television, entertainment subscription service or other public services, accommodations in hotels, restaurants or elsewhere, admissions to exhibitions, use of vehicles or other movable property, and any other activity or product considered in the ordinary course of business to be a service, regardless of whether it is listed in this subdivision (a)(38) or a specific statute exists covering the same or similar conduct. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Writing: includes printing or any other method of recording information, money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, and symbols of value, right, privilege or identification. See Tennessee Code 39-14-114
(1) A person commits an offense who, with fraudulent intent or knowingly:

(A) Issues or passes a check or similar sight order for the payment of money for the purpose of paying any fee, fine, tax, license or obligation to any governmental entity or for the purpose of obtaining money, services, labor, credit or any article of value, knowing at the time there are not sufficient funds in or on deposit with the bank or other drawee for the payment in full of the check or order, as well as all other checks or orders outstanding at the time of issuance; or
(B) Stops payment on a check or similar sight order for the payment of money for the purpose of paying any fine, fee, tax, license or obligation to any governmental entity or for the purpose of obtaining money, services, labor, credit or any article of value; provided, that the money, credit, goods or services were as represented at the time of the issuance of the check or similar sight order.
(2) This subsection (a) shall not apply to a post-dated check or to a check or similar sight order where the payee or holder knows or has good and sufficient reason to believe the drawer did not have sufficient funds on deposit to the drawer’s credit with the drawee to ensure payment.
(b) For purposes of this section, the issuer‘s or passer’s fraudulent intent or knowledge or both of insufficient funds may be inferred if:

(1) The person had no account with the bank or other drawee at the time the person issued or passed the check or similar sight order; or
(2) On presentation within thirty (30) days after issuing or passing the check or similar sight order, payment was refused by the bank or other drawee for lack of funds, insufficient funds or account closed after issuing or passing the check or order, and the issuer or passer fails to make good within ten (10) days after receiving notice of that refusal.
(c) For purposes of subdivision (b)(2), notice shall be in writing, and, if the address is known, sent by certified mail with return receipt requested, and addressed to the issuer or passer at the address shown:

(1) On the check or similar sight order if given; or
(2) If not shown on the check or similar sight order, on the records of the bank or other drawee if available.
(d) If notice is given in accordance with subsection (c), it may be inferred that the notice was received no later than five (5) days after it was mailed.
(e) Notice shall not be required:

(1) In the event the situs of the drawee is not in Tennessee;
(2) If the drawer is not a resident of Tennessee or has left the state at the time the check, draft or order is dishonored; or
(3) If the drawer of the check, draft or order did not have an account with the drawee of the check, draft or order at the time the check, draft or order was issued or dishonored.
(f) The offense of issuing or passing worthless checks is punishable as theft pursuant to § 39-14-105. Value shall be determined by the amount appearing on the face of the check on the date of issue.
(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed as amending or repealing the Fraud and Economic Crimes Prosecution Act, compiled in title 40, chapter 3, part 2.
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